Disclaimer: I don’t own anything JK Rowling does but I do have a pair caroling kitty socks from Christmas... anyhoo, it would be pathetic and pointless to sue… I don't got money, I'm not doing for money, and I'm not claiming anything JK thought of...

Out of Reach
By: Anna

Chapter 1 ~ Why him?

Out of all the boys I could have chosen to be infatuated over, it had to be him, didn’t it? I mean, there’s cute seventh year Hufflepuff Amos Diggory with his boyish face and amazing chocolate eyes, the Head Boy and a chaser on the Hufflepuff quidditch team. Ray Chang, a fifth year Ravenclaw prefect, a keeper, quiet and studious like me, he’s not a bad sight either. Severus Snape, a fifth year Slytherin prefect, upon closer investigation could also be one to lust after.

But who am I kidding? Even as I think about the names in my head, their pros added together can’t even compare to his and don’t get me started on their cons. I mean, Snape? The greasy git, who looks like he climbed out of a vat of lard and always has his head over a cauldron? If I even developed the slightest crush towards him, I think I would send myself to St. Mungos.

Ray Chang’s ok, but half the time he ditches the books and goes to try and prove that Ravenclaws can play pranks just like the Gryffindor Marauders. I mean he’s teetering on the edge of becoming a Peter Pettigrew with brains following Potter and Black all the time like they were some kind of gods.

Amos Diggory has a few more pros than the other two, but still, crushing on him would on solve my problem temporarily seeing as he’s a seven year and the boy who I have so unwisely began falling for is going to be teasing me unknowingly for the rest of my Hogwarts career.

Who is this mystery boy you ask? Well, it happens to be none other than the infamous James Potter. I mean not only is he one of the most brilliant pranksters the school has probably ever seen, he is also the most unreachable. To me that is, I could probably get Sirius Black easier than James. Although he not as much of a ladies man like Sirius, he has been known to disappear with some random girl, mostly Hufflepuffs, for a snogging session, probably at least once every month. And somehow, with all his pranks and sneaking around after curfew he has managed to become a prefect and captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team.

With nearly every guy in the school envying him, with the exception of the Slytherins and his fellow partners in crime, and almost every girl wanting him, how could he ever notice me, quiet Lily Evans, the house bookworm? I mean, he talks to me, the occasional “Hullo, Lily Evans,” but how could he ever notice me in a non-platonic sort of way?

As I sit here, watching him laughing with his friends on the other side of the room, under the pretense of reading a book, I can’t help wondering what it would be like to be his girlfriend, to kiss him, to feel his strong arms around my waist…

“You know, if you keep your nose in that book any longer, you might just fall in.” a grinning voice says from behind me, breaking my train of thought.

My head tilts backward, trying to confirm my guess of who it is, and I see James Potter’s grinning face looming above me.

“What do you want?” I question, my tone bit harsher than I intend.

James jumps over the back of the couch I am residing on to sit next to me, his right leg slightly brushing against my right.

“Why Lily Evans, you don’t seem at all pleased to see me, and I must admit, it stings.” He says with a sad expression on his face, feigning hurt, but the mischievous gleam in his eyes reveals his façade.

‘If only you knew…’ I think miserably as the tingling sensation running up and down my right leg grows more intense as he leans in closer, waiting for my response.

“I was just so heavily enthralled in my book when I was so rudely interrupted.” I say cheekily and glance back down at my book, which still lay open on my lap.

James didn’t let me get away with this, however, as he cups my chin with his hand, shocking me so I gave a small sigh as he pushes my face up so once again we had eye contact.

“Don’t get smart with me young lady.” He scolds me teasingly, his hand still on my chin, it just like my leg tingling with the contact.

“I’m terribly sorry sir, I’ll see to it that it doesn’t happen again,” I breathe softly, his face growing ever nearer.

“You do that,” he replies equally as soft.

Our faces inch ever toward the each other and as both of our eyes’ flutter shut, I lick my lips in anticipation…